SAN TAN VALLEY, Ariz. – Copper Basin K-8 School captured the overall team championship and a trio tandems deadlocked for first place as the Florence Unified School District dominated the 2010 Central Arizona College Middle School Math Contest held on Friday, Feb. 19, at the San Tan Center.

Copper Basin amassed 56.6 points to eke by runner-up Skyline K-8 School which totaled 54.2, giving Florence Unified gold and silver team medals on the afternoon.

The 2010 CAC San Tan Center Middle School Math Contest featured 10 schools representing three districts from the northern region of Pinal County.

J.O. Combs Middle School and J.O. Combs 8th Grade Academy represented the J.O. Combs Unified School District, while Desert Shadows Middle School was the lone representative of the Apache Junction Unified School District.

J.O. Combs 8th Grade Academy and Walker Butte tied for third place in the team scoring.

Copper Basin posted two of the three first-place teams thanks to the duo of Brian Rathburn and Martin Parr and the tandem of Jillian Walker-Ruiz and Kassandra Ramirez who scored 63 points. Jake Cap and Juan Dorame of Florence K-8 School also tallied 63 points to force the three-way tie.

Second place belonged to Mike Sanders and Hailey Buell of J.O. Combs Middle School after the pair amassed 62 points, while third place was jointly held by Carlos Garrido and Noah Rudko of Walker Butte and Canyon Schubert and Gregory Courtright of Skyline.

The competition saw 97 seventh- and eighth-grade students separated into 48 teams of two with one student, Brandon Cross of the J.O. Combs School District, competing by himself. Although he did not medal in the event, he scored 53 points and tied for 10th – finishing ahead of 28 other two-person teams.

Each tandem was given five math tests totaling 90 questions during the competition. Each test is based upon Arizona’s math standards and is modeled after the eighth grade AIMS (Arizona’s Instrument to Measure Standards).

All 12 students received Olympic-style medallions for their outstanding performances, while all participants were presented with a certificate.

Students also had an opportunity to win door prizes such as gift cards donated by Pearson Publishing, while CAC’s Barnes & Noble Bookstore also donated items for door prizes. Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts in Queen Creek and Road Runner Coffee in Tucson contributed hospitality items.

Central Arizona College will host the High School Math Contest in April on the Signal Peak Campus.